Indicator stalks

[JonnyT]

I know this has been a query for a few, but I can't find the answer that I need and I don't have a car at the moment to check it on (long story, don't get me started).

I have made an indicator stalk - how have people attached it to the stalk and secondly how much of the plastic stalk can you leave. My switch has a shoulder which looks like it goes inside the plastic housing - can i cut the stalk say 5mm further away from this (towards the end away from the column)?

Thanks guys

Jon

[JonnyT]

Come on - I know some of you guys have done it already!!

[kayjayd]

Johnny,

You haven't said which kit you've got or which column. Might help people respond :thumb:

[dave]

His stalks are Sierra.

Jonny.
There are a number of different types of Sierra stalks which makes a big difference to how you can attach your new ones. Some have solid plastic bases which you can drill and tap and just screw your stalk into without any of the original stalk tail being left and others have lots of voids with nothing for your stalk to hang on to.

[JonnyT]

Fair point Kev!

The stalks are indeed the sierra ones, attached to the square hazard light switch gear. The plastic is effectively a 'u' section with a hole in the middle of the section attached to the switch for the horn wire. I was thinking of cutting off the plastic and leaving a stump of about 5mm from the shoulder and then drilling that to take the stalk. Then I can epoxy it in and by drilling into the shoulder as well I should have a fixing of about 10mm, but i was just a bit concerned about the force required to move the switch and whether that fixing would be enough.

thanks.

[JonnyT]

Any more thoughts guys - I don't want the stalk coming off in my hand! (and for the filthy minded amongst you - no - that is not a euphamism!)

[Paul B]

Jonny

I cut mine down to around 25mm long then carefully shaved the stump round with a stanley knife until it fitted inside a piece of 10mm I/D stainless steel tube around 45mm long.

Used araldite to glue to the stump and then glued the rest of the new stalk inside the tube.

Have just finished putting a "Snake Torque" article together with photo's.

Paul

[conrod]

Jonny,

I have some of Gareth's stalks fitted to my Dax. I have the later Sierra switchgear (with the round hazard button). The stalks were cut off at the base, and after a while the wiper stalk came loose, because it's angled and there's not much plastic for the stalk to thread into. However, this was easily fixed by a) drilling out a washer (M6 I think - but it's late and I'm slightly pissed!) just enough to go over the thread of the stalk but stop against the shaft, which I fitted to each stalk, and b) putting some Araldite behind the base of the washer stalk and drilling and tapping it.

The washers help to spread the load away from the thread. Several weeks on, and there's no play whatsoever in any of the stalks.

Hope this helps.

BTW - off to Las Vegas on Monday, and a visit to the Shelby HQ scheduled for Tuesday!

[JonnyT]

Thanks for all the help guys. Trouble is that the way that I have designed mine I am going to have to go internal into the existing stalk at the base. From what everybody has said I think I am going to have to suck it and see.

Get the car back on Saturday so I'll ba able to see how much I have to play with in the cutting off department.